You should not allow yourself the luxuries of discouragement of despair. Bounce back immediately, and welcome the adversity because it produces harder thinking and harder drive to get to the objective.
Ralph NaderRead
Power has to be insecure to be responsive.
Interpretation
Power that is aware of its fragility is more likely to be attentive and adaptable.
Ralph Nader's quote suggests that when those in power recognize their own vulnerabilities, they are more responsive to the needs and concerns of others. This implies that insecurity can lead to better leadership, as it fosters humility and an openness to feedback, resulting in a more effective and compassionate exercise of power.
In practice
In a team meeting, one might quote Nader to emphasize the importance of flexibility in management.
You should not allow yourself the luxuries of discouragement of despair. Bounce back immediately, and welcome the adversity because it produces harder thinking and harder drive to get to the objective.
I once said to my father, when I was a boy, 'Dad we need a third political party.' He said to me, 'I'll settle for a second.'
Power concedes nothing without a demand. The struggle for justice must never be adjourned. The forces of injustice do not take vacations.
The corporate lobby in Washington is basically designed to stifle all legislative activity on behalf of consumers.
We have the most prolonged adolescence in the history of mankind. There is no other society that requires so many years to pass before people are grown up ... Adolescence is nurtured and prolonged by educational processes and by industry that has found a bonanza in embracing the adolescent population and fortifying 'adolescent values.' This prolongation of adolescence robs the country of the population group having the most risk takers, and the highest ideals.
Moral courage is the highest expression of humanity.
Those renowned generals [Alexander and Caesar] received more faithful service, and performed greater actions by means of the love their soldiers bore them, than they could possibly have done, if instead of being beloved and respected they had been hated and feared by those they commanded.
The really expert riders of horses let the horse know immediately who is in control, but then they guide the horse with loose reins and very seldom use the spurs. So it was with our chief [William Rehnquist]. He guided us with loose reins and used the spurs only rarely to get us up to speed with our work.
Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.
I have just read your dispatch about sore-tongued and fatigued horses, Will you pardon me for asking what the horses of your army have done since the Battle of Antietam that fatigues anything?
When the enemy is driven back, we have failed, and when he is cut off, encircled and dispersed, we have succeeded.
Doing the easy thing makes you popular. Doing the hard thing makes you a leader.
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